Heart Of The Holidays - It's Just Not The Same Without The Family

December 25, 1993|By JEREMY GABRIELSON, York School of the Arts, Age 14

None of us kids wanted to move. We hated Virginia because it was our first Christmas away from family as well as away from snow. Every Christmas as long as I could remember, we would go and test our new sleds. Of course, it is hard to do that when the weather isn't even cold enough to necessitate a jacket.

That morning we all awoke and went downstairs to open our presents (never a dismal task). Everything was going fine until we realized that our grandparents weren't going to come over. We had always enjoyed a visit from our grandparents which, we knew, brought more presents at around two in the afternoon and Christmas dinner.

Christmas dinner is my-second favorite meal of the year (next only to Thanksgiving). However, it took this experience for me to realize the turkey with all the trimmings is a very dreary meal when not drowned in the babblings of countless relatives.

Although the endless chatter of relatives at Thanksgiving and Christmas can be annoying, it is also somehow comforting.

Although the holiday really wasn't that bad, I still wish that this year my Christmas will be blessed with the endless chatter of annoying relatives and many Yuletide arguments. Merry Christmas!